Junction boxes too deep for wall

[u0362565]

Hi all,

I have two 35mm deep junction boxes above two doors in our hall and the boxes protrude out from the wall. It's not a big deal but it does bug me. After investigation the boxes are screwed to a stud in the wall but the wall's are lathe and plaster and this is determining how deep the box can be set in the wall. The back box of one protrudes about 10mm beyond the plaster then there's the faceplate on top of that. The 35mm boxes are full so I can't use slimmer ones if they exist. Maybe it just is what it is and I just leave them as is. I'm not an electrician so theres probably not many options open to me.

Thanks for the advice

 

[GeorgeCooke]

I assume you mean back boxes. You can get 25mm ones but as you say there is no room for the whatever is inside.

 

[Andy5678]

Have you got any pictures? Maybe they could be re located elsewhere...

 

[Dustydazzler]

Sounds like you have boxes meant for surface wiring which have been partially chopped into the plaster and lathe.
My honest opinion, is leave well alone, if it ain’t broke stop trying to fix it.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - what’s in the boxes? And yes, some pics please - the wall, the box and it’s contents. It should be fixable but you may need some help with the cabling.

 

[u0362565]

I assume you mean back boxes. You can get 25mm ones but as you say there is no room for the whatever is inside.

Yeah the back boxes sorry. I think I wouldn't get all the wires inside a slimmer box though. It might be that all the wires are not required and are historic but I couldn't say. It's a shame the wires can't float in the wall and then I just put a faceplate on to indicate cables are there but I guess this wouldn't meet regulations.

 

[telectrix]

it can be done with perhaps a little butchery. whereabouts are you. a member may be close.

 

[ruston]

Has it been , or near the site of a previous fuse box and is being used to extend cables?

 

[FatAlan]

Cut a decorative piece of 10mm thick wood to fit round the protrusion and re fit a faceplate of your choice. Other than that, as others have said, you’re looking a bit of butchery into the stud wall, obviously making sure that you’re not hacking into something structural.

 

[u0362565]

it can be done with perhaps a little butchery. whereabouts are you. a member may be close.

Edinburgh, it's not big deal it was just if I could do something myself about it. Both walls are being replastering soon so maybe the plasterer can thicken out the plaster layer a bit to reduce how much the boxes protrude.

 

[telectrix]

or get them sunk in more if you're having plastering done.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Sounds like you need a multi tool to remove some of the stud that the boxes are attached to.
Another option, may be that the conductors inside the box can be made shorter so a shallower box can be used.

 

[Charlie_]

How old is the installation?
I recommend having a periodic inspection done prior to the plastering.

 

[ruston]

How old is the installation?
I recommend having a periodic inspection done prior to the plastering.

I agree.
It would be interesting to see what kind of wires are in those boxes, could easy be the original wiring into updates. As @Andy5678 asks, pictures would be nice.

 

[u0362565]

Here's a couple of pictures of the wiring in each box. There seems to be quite a bit of wire pulled through but I thought this was good practice.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Looks like some 3 plate wiring points

Could be made off into MF boxes and pushed back into the wall prior to skimming

But it isn’t a DIY job imo

 

[u0362565]

Is it OK though for the MF boxes to be buried behind the plaster? When/Why would you need to access this basically?

 

[littlespark]

Looks to me like a surface box been buried into the wall, rather than a proper back box.
Straightforward job to tidy that up. One of the walls looks like it needs some polyfilla anyway.

Pity.
I was in Edinburgh on Friday for a quick job.
I’m up to offer my services. OP can PM me, can be done ASAP

 

[Timbo]

What about trimming the boxes down with a multi tool? It looks like the fixing lugs should be far enough down.....

 

[telectrix]

Here's a couple of pictures of the wiring in each box. There seems to be quite a bit of wire pulled through but I thought this was good practice.

looking at those pics, seems that the boxes are just used as JBs. (with a blank plate on top). if so, a ny decent spark could reterminate in either a shallower box or one sunk in a bit ( as spin's post #12). then the blanking plate could be flush to the plaster. obviously needs to be seen to indicate the presence of cables, and possible future use for a socket/s or FCU/s